The Faroe Islands and the United Kingdom have agreed their fisheries arrangements for 2026, setting the rules for access, quota exchanges and cooperation next year.
The deal was signed on 22 December 2025 and builds on earlier agreements between the two sides, including recent talks on mackerel management in the North-East Atlantic.
The agreed record recommends that both governments adopt the 2026 arrangements as set out in the document and its annexes. It confirms continued cooperation on shared fish stocks, monitoring, and long-term sustainability.
Focus on mackerel and shared stocks
The delegations recalled the mackerel agreement, signed earlier in December 2025, between the Faroe Islands, the UK, Iceland, and Norway. They welcomed a reduction in fishing pressure on the stock. They said the 2026 arrangements should help move towards a complete quota-sharing deal.
Both sides said they expect to continue dialogue in 2026 on the management of shared stocks and to work within international fisheries bodies. They also reiterated their commitment to responsible fishing and the conservation of marine resources.
Access, control and monitoring rules
A central part of the deal covers monitoring, control and surveillance. The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation and information sharing. They will establish a joint Compliance Forum to address risks, share data, and reduce unwanted bycatch in UK waters.
The UK informed the Faroese delegation about the rollout of Remote Electronic Monitoring on pelagic vessels. From 7 March 2026, relevant pelagic vessels fishing in Scottish waters must have a fully installed and operational system that complies with Scottish regulations.
The delegations also agreed to publish the 2026 technical annexes as a separate document. Only minor changes were needed, as existing measures have worked well.
Data exchange and next steps
The agreement notes that work is still ongoing to improve the exchange of vessel position and fishing activity data using a common digital standard. Both sides committed to continuing this work in 2026 and to meeting ahead of the 2027 annual talks to discuss a comprehensive electronic reporting system.
Catch data for recent years was reviewed, and the delegations agreed to keep sharing detailed catch information before meetings in 2026. Scientific cooperation will also continue to cover fish stocks and the marine environment.
The two sides plan to meet in 2026 as part of an annual process to ensure the deal is applied as intended. The UK offered to host the meeting. The heads of delegation signed the agreement on behalf of both parties.